TheKua Does Food

I’ve eaten at Anna Hansen’s bisto for breakfast before so I was pretty happy to go here for my flatmate’s birthday dinner last weekend. What made it all the more exciting was having seen Anna at the Taste of Christmas last year and talk passionately about her cooking interests and the thought behind dishes such as her Sugar-cured New Caledonian prawn omelette, spring onion, coriander, smoked chilli sambal. Therefore when I sat it on their menu as a starter (£8.50), I couldn’t but help myself and order it.

Although it’s pricey for a starter, it was deliciously put together – perfectly cooked egg, slightly sweet prawns and and the homemade chilli sambal adding that depth of heat to the dish. I’d definitely get this one again.

For my main, I ordered the grilled miso marinated steak onglet, cassava chips, feta cheese and salad with green pepper relish (£16.50). The onglet is an interesting cut of meat, often called the butcher’s cut because there is only one of these per cow, and it’s flavour and taste and tenderness often mean butcher’s would rather keep it than sell it. There’s a good reason for it, since it was so tender and really nice. Interesting, the waiter asked if cooking it rare was okay – completely fine with me in a restaurant I trust who knows what to do with it.

I finished the meal off with a hokey-pokey affogato(£4), a combination of two rare items to find in London that I would definitely regret not ordering it the next day. Delicious hokey pokey ice cream (effectively crumble mixed through ice cream) and then served in small cup with an espresso shot tipped on top. I absolutely adore the contrast brought about by dishes mixing hot and cold sensations.

I can highly recommend this place for a great evening. Service was prompt, and not even noticeable at times, the perfect sort. Even though we were the last ones out and hanging around quite late, no one ever asked us to leave.

Name: The Modern Pantry
Found at: 48 Saint John’s Square, London EC1V 4JJ
Website: http://www.themodernpantry.co.uk/

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We organised yet another team dinner out in Cambridge, this time deciding to hit a restaurant called Asia. I’d read some great things about it so I was quite excited to do so. I’d arranged the booking a week in advance, although I was surprised when I called up the day before our dinner to find out that our booking disappeared into the ether. Fortunately they still had space for our change in dining numbers.

We sat at a very local freehouse (St Radegund) in Cambridge (highly recommended for a very pub-like experience) when I received a call from the restaurant telling me that their Thai chef did not turn up. I thought this was quite nice of them, though understandable, when half of their menu is Thai.

We also had strange service throughout the entire night, mainly because we had a bit of a newbie waiter asking one of his colleagues to come across. I think it was the first five questions that sent him running that triggered us to have a bit of a laugh of it throughout the night. Strangeness continued throughout the evening, with the wine menu being presented with an one extensive page each, of red and white wines, yet then to be told only four bottles were available of the 20+ listed.

On to the food. The menu was pretty large, although being “pan-asian” they only seemed to have Indian/Pakistani and then Thai foods. This is probably a good choice because pan asian restaurants tend to offer greater variety of cuisines at the cost of quality. Fortunately they hadn’t sacrificed quality. I skipped the starters, although everyone else said their starter was delicious. They certainly looked like it. Then the mains finally arrived and I almost regret ordering the plethora of side dishes.

I ordered their Chicken Lababdar (Tandoori chicken tikka cooked in lababdar gravy with fresh ginger, green chilli, coriander and finished with cream) which ended up deliciously spicy and creamy at the same time. It was a hugely generous serve (as were all of the main dishes), hence regretting the presence of all the side dishes we ordered.

We ended up taking all the leftover food home. Despite all the strangeness, if you simply treated this as an Indian/Pakistani restaurant the food is definitely worth going for. I can also recommend ordering their mango creme brulee.

Name: Asia Dining Room
Found at: 66 Regent Street, Cambridge, CB2 1DP
Website: http://www.asia-dining.co.uk/cambridge

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One of my favourite Thai dishes is the famously spicy Pad Kee Mao. Its spiciness is said to contribute to its English translation, “Druken Noodles” not because the noodles are drenched in any particular liquid, but because you often need to reach for a drink due its spiciness and best drunk with beer.

Not all Thai places serve this noodle, but I often ask them if they do it off the menu (great where they actually have a real Thai chef). I’ve successfully made this at home, so here’s the recipe that I used:

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp water
• 2 tsp brown sugar/palm sugar
• 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp gold mountain (a classic seasoning sauce used in Thai cooking)
• 1 tsp soy regular
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp smashed thai chillies
• 1 sliced chilli
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 block of firm tofu cubed into bite sized pieces
• vegetables
• flat rice noodles, separated into different strands
• bell pepper/capsicum
• onion
• Thai basil (optional)

Method

1. Combine the water, sugar, gold moutain, soy, oyster sauces together with the smashed chillies. This will be added at the end of the cooking.
2. Prepare all vegetables – slice the onions, peppers into fine strips. Cut the vegetables into similar sizes.
3. Fry the tofu until it has a relatively crispy skin and set aside
4. Reheat the pan, starting with the garlic, onion then adding the chili to fry off.
5. Cook the vegetables and when ready, add the noodles. Having previously separated them makes it easier to mix together and still leave whole
6. Add the tofu and then fry until the noodle is soft and cooked. At the last moment, throw in the prepared sauce and stir until the noodles are evenly coated with it
7. Just before serving, I like to mix some Thai basil through to add another layer of flavour

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I’ll put my hand up. I’ve been obsessed by beef rendang ever since having Vanessa’s slow cooked version at our gathering back in November. I was a bit worried because they used a slow cooker, tenderising the meat something over like eight hours of cooking. Although they aren’t particularly expensive, I really don’t need a slow cooker in the kitchen just yet. Looking around on the Internet, there are plenty of versions of beef rendang. Here’s the version that I used (it’s a slightly modified version by that provided by John Torode here).

Ingredients:

• 1 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (peanut, or olive is fine)
• 1 1/2 large onions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 red Thai bird’s chillies, seeds removed, chopped
• 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and chopped into very fine slivers
• 1 thumb-sized piece galangal, peeled and chopped into very fine slivers
• 1 bay leaf
• 750g braising steak cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 400g canned coconut milk
• 250ml strong veal or beef stock, heated

Directions:

• For the beef rending, pound the lemongrass to a pulp using a pestle and mortar. Tip the lemongrass into a small bowl.
• Heat the frying pan over a medium heat. Add the coriander, cumin seeds and turmeric and dry fry until fragrant. Tip the spices into a spice grinder or the pestle and mortar. Grind the spices to a powder if using a grinder, or pound in a pestle and mortar until the spices are as smooth as possible. Set aside.
• Fry the onions, garlic, chillies, ginger and pounded lemongrass to the pan in the heated oil and cook gently until the onions have softened and the mixture is fragrant.
• Add the reserved ground spices and the bay leaf and fry for a few minutes more.
• Add the meat and increase the heat so that it browns on all sides. Stir until the meat is completely coated with the spices – this will take a few minutes.
• Add the coconut milk, bring to the boil, then add the hot stock.
• Turn the heat down low and continue cooking for at least 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally until the sauce becomes thick and coats the meat well.

I changed some of the preparation and ingredients to John’s recipe. I added the fresh galangal because I wanted a bit more of that gingery flavour it imparts and another dimension is always great in a curry. I also extended the cooking time on a slower heat because I wanted the flesh to fall apart. I didn’t reduce the liquid until the meat was already soft to ensure that all the pieces had a chance to sit and boil equally in the liquid. I also added another chilli, figuring that it would still retain its partial heat but not overpower it.

Serve with freshly steamed vegetables and some white rice. Enjoy!

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One of my favourite memories of Singapore was trekking across to the east coast and enjoying in the famous Singapore Chilli Crab. Looking on the net, there are plenty of ways of making it, but here’s one that I’ve tried using a few elements from various recipes.

I’ve found a decent place in Chinatown that sells fresh crabs that I kill and clean at home. I’m not sure how it would turn out with the frozen variety. Try fresh as much as possible!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon of oil (any vegetable oil is fine)
• 3 tablespoons of minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1/2 chopped onion
• shao xing wine
• 4 birds eye chillis
• 1 bottle of pureed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1 spring onion chopped up
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon coriander chopped


Method:

• Fry ginger, garlic, onion in the oil
• Add chopped chillis and shao xing wine
• Saute crab until pink

• Add tomato and chilli sauce
• Add spring onion
• Pinch of salt
• Cook for a bit covered
• Just before serving, crack a scrambled egg into the sauce and mix together
• Serve and sprinkle with fresh coriander


When you’re done, serve the crab with freshly steamed Man Tao – you should be able to buy these in any Chinese supermarket in the frozen section. They only take five or ten minutes steaming. Alternatively you can fry them but it’s probably healthier not to.



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A while ago, I’d promised to work with Mike and Vanessa to put together a bit of a feast. We got a few friends and family in and indulged in a huge amount of food. Mike and Vanessa hosted in their new flat (it has heaps of space) and we all enjoyed the night. I think we kicked off somewhere around half past six and before we know it, it was already midnight with some people having to leave to catch the last tube home.

Here’s what we had in the banquet:

Japanese Gyoza as appetisers. Crispy on the bottom, and steamed pastry encasing a cabbage and pork mixture.

We then served all of the main dishes including:

Singapore Chilli Crab – A tomato based sauce infused with chilli, ginger, coriander, garlic, herbs and spices bound together with egg and served with freshly steamed man tao.

Beef Rendang – Slow cooked beef in a reduced coconut and curried coating to the point where all the meat falls apart in your mouth so delicately.

Pad Thai – Thai style rice noodles mixed with various proteins, vegetables and the special Pad Thai sauce, topped with peanuts and lemon wedges.

Chinese Beans – Green beans crisped stir fried and served while still firm

We started finishing off dinner with some winning dessert wine that Mike and Vanessa picked up somewhere on their holidays in Germany.

Dessert then followed with coffee in the form of Pistachio Biscuits and Pistachio Ice Cream.

Great company. Delicious food. What more do you need?

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Now that I have a bit more time not commuting I’m going to try to backtrack some of the wonderful places I’ve had a chance to eat at in the past.

One of the first that springs to mind is Ebisu, owned by D&D London (formerly Conran restaurants). D&D London is always well known for all their stylish restaurants and Ebisu is no exception, housed in a harbour side building offering three different dining experiences (Italian, Japanese and Bar & Grill). Ebisu is just one of them.

Each table is complete with seasonings including white pepper, salt, and the lovely Japanese pepper mixture, Shichimi, all with a very nicely presented container. Whilst waiting for everyone to arrive for dinner we ordered some wasabi peas and some edamame. Although I wouldn’t think there to be that many differences, the wasabi peas were definitely the best I’ve ever had, strangely fresh and full of wasabi-goodness.

The following dish is the yellowtail carpaccio with an orange and ginger dressing. Light, summery and super fresh tasting.

Disappointingly the following dish, advertised as “rock shrimp” weren’t the same rock shrimp that is farmed in the US that I’ve had at both Nobu and Morimoto. The tempura shrimp was still delicious, light and crisp batter with the grated ginger and delicious dipping sauce.

Definitely the highlight for my meal was the Robata Grilled skewers. The one at the back my personal favourite (pork belly that was soft, lean and yet full of flavour), the other, a beef skewer with miso.

Freshening it up was a wonderful freshly cooked asparagus with yuzu hollandaise. The asparagus was perfectly cooked, still crisp yet soft at the same time. The yuzu flavour wasn’t particularly strong but present enough to give it that extra zing.

Service at Ebisu was pretty impeccable. Our tap water was filled up pretty consistently and we were asked enough whether or not things were okay. Whilst I’d probably keep this place as somewhere particularly special, it was a great treat during the week.

Name: Ebisu
Website: http://www.customhouse.dk/uk/customhouse.html
Location: Havnegade 44, 1058 København K, Denmark

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After coming back from Japan and having had some Korean food, I was particularly craving some more of it, particularly their hot stone bowl dish, dol bibimbap. I headed out for a Sunday lunch but it seemed like all the Korean restaurants in central London were shut so I kept walking around until I stumbled across Azzi, a fusion Japanese and Korean restaurant.

Its entrance makes it appear quite small restaurant with only four tables visible. A bunch of Korean ladies catching up occupied one of them while another group of Swedish tourists took another, apparently umming and ahhing over what to order. They had a couple of small tables by the main counter so I took one of them. They do have some tables out back as I saw plenty of people head out back but I have no idea how many. Their menu was interesting, less fusion that advertised and more just serving both Japanese and Korean dishes. It didn’t really matter to me since they had what I wanted, the dol bibimbap.

I ordered the dol bibimbap and a lemonade that, with the 12.5% service came to just over £10. I thought it was fairly reasonable since the dish came with miso soup and a side of kim chi, something that many other Korean restaurants charge extra for. The hot stone bowl soon arrived accompanied by the distinctive sound of sizzling rice and vegetables. It certainly looked impressive with a semi fried egg on top soon to be mixed in to the rest of the ingredients with chilli sauce.

Overall I was pretty impressed by it. Tasty, crispy rice and plenty of flavour throughout it. Although the service was friendly, I don’t think it was super prompt as I had to wait for the bill and not really worth the 12.5%. I’d still probably return though and try a few other dishes.

Name: Azzi
Address: 47 Poland Street, London, W1F 7NB
Website: None that I could find
The good: Reasonably priced dol bibimbap with soup and kim chi included in the price
The not so good: 12.5% service? Hmmm…

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Patara is a series of several Thai restaurants around London. Apparently they are very popular as we could only get a very early 6:30pm that had to be back for 8pm at their Soho branch. It looks like any sort of modern Thai restaurant you’d imagine that does very well in South Kensington – moody lighting, nice decorations and plenty of tables with minimal space in between. Nevertheless they also have a very nice cocktail list and plenty of different things on offer on their menu.

We ended up ordering the Slow braised beef in aromatic coconut reduction with fresh lime,lemongrass and chilli, as well as Veal osso buco braised in massaman curry with lotus seeds accompanied by cucumber salsa and pita bread, with a side of Thai long aubergine sautéed in spicy yellow bean sauce with sweet basil. Admittedly all of the dishes were fantastic. Beautifully presented, complex flavours and all the dishes full of flavour. I really enjoyed the aubergine although I wouldn’t really say it was a very spicy yellow bean sauce – perhaps a bit more on the sweet side than anything.

I had the coconut ice cream for dessert (although the rice pudding is pictured above). Both were just as tasty as all the main dishes and certainly would have been happy with any of the other dishes as well.

I enjoyed the dinner at Patara, although considering what we had, the price added up very quickly. It’s not a place you’d want to go to every night, but every once in a while it’d be quite reasonable.

Name: Patara
Address: Different locations. We went to the one in Soho (15 Greek St., London W1D 4DP)
Website: http://www.pataralondon.com/
The good: Continuous top ups of tap water. Fairly unique Thai fusion with classic flavours
The not so good: Fairly pricey and tables crammed pretty close together.

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It’s nice to see that some parts of Chinatown are stepping out a bit and not just simply being replaced by cheap, nasty, buffets. Little Lamb is therefore a welcome addition to the other restaurants in London’s chinatown offering the unique hot pot dining experience. Also a popular dish with the Japanese (called shabu shabu), hot pot dining is definitely not like your normal Chinese fair.

Ordering hot pot is easy. Choose what sort of soup base you would like, and then order a wide variety of dishes to cook. They even have a £20 deal where you can order a soup base and five different plates of ingredients for each person dining which really equates to a large number over all. We didn’t intend of getting the deal but the waiter suggested we may as well being only £1 away and able to order three more plates. We decided to go with the three flavoured stock pot, not actually realising it would be an urn separated into three different parts, each complete with a different flavour. The induction cooker in the middle of the table also gave us very good control over the soup, without actually turning the table into a danger zone.

As you can see from the picture above, one of the three soups was a spicy, peppery soup, that was definitely one of my favourites. The other two were clear broths, both very flavoursome in their own different ways. The ingredients come on plates and I’m glad that there was just the two of us because those plates soon filled the table. We ordered a huge variety of different items, with at least one dish from the separate sections such as mushrooms, tofu, seafood, meat, noodles and vegetables. I’m particularly surprised at the size and number of the seafood dishes as we’d ordered crab and prawns and they were definitely generous serves considering the price.

If you do plan on having a meal at Little Lamb, make sure that you leave plenty of time with the ten plates taking us almost two hours to consume. Part of the fun is cooking it in small stages and then scooping hot the freshly cooked ingredients, dipping it into the sauce or just enjoying the whole experience. Eating the crab was definitely most challenging with the combination of tiny bowls and just chopsticks leaving us with little choice but to use our hands.

If you find yourself running low on soup, it’s easy enough for them to fill it with additional hot water. Also make sure you leave some space to enjoy the soup broth that becomes infused with all the flavours from the freshly cooked ingredients.

Name: Little Lamb
Address: 72 Shaftesbury Avenue, Chinatown, W1D 6NA
Phone: 020 7287 8078
Website: None that I could find

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